Moments before encounter, Indian army officer videocalls Jaish terrorist, asks him to surrender

Moments before the Kulgam encounter, an Indian army officer videocalled a Jaish terrorist asking him to surrender. Here's what happened next.

Two terrorists were killed in an encounter with the security forces in the Ahwatoo village of Kulgam district in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday. One of them was Mohammed Shafi Ganai, a member of the proscribed terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad who spoke to an Indian army officer moments before the encounter.

The security forces had launched a cordon-and-search operation in Kulgam's Ahwatoo area following information about the presence of terrorists there. During the operation, an Indian army officer videocalled Ganai asking him to surrender, but the Jaish terrorist refused.

“I swear, the way the army supports Kashmir, Kashmir also supports army,” the JeM terrorist was heard saying in the video.

“Sure. I am from army only, friend. I am asking you to surrender,” the Indian army officer says, to which the terrorist replies, “Sir, I am already near death. You’ll shoot me thrice. You’ll probably empty one magazine.”

To this, the soldier responds, "No, friend, we won’t”. The conversation ends and moments later, two terrorists - Mohammad Shafi Ganai of Kulgam’s Batpora and Mohammad Asif Wani of Kulgam's Takia -- were killed in an encounter with security forces.

READ | 2 Jaish terrorists killed in encounter with security forces in J&K’s Kulgam

Based on specific information regarding the presence of terrorists in the village, a joint cordon and search operation was launched in the area by the Indian Army along with J&K Police and CRPF at around 3.20 pm on Tuesday.